The Senegal international was involved in a serious car accident in the last week.
Crystal Palace’s Papa Souare and West Hams’s Enner Valencia
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has explained how long he thinks defender Papa Souare is set to miss, as the Senegal international begins his recovery from a car accident, in comments appearing in the Mail.
The 26-year-old suffered a broken thighbone in the accident, which occurred on the M4 on September 11 and temporarily threw into doubt the player’s career.
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew
Pardew had good news on Souare in that regard, expressing his hope that the left back will be able to feature before the end of the season, but he did suggest a considerable absence while the former Lille man recovers.
“There is nothing in the engineering of the knee and ankle that’s a problem so we think five to six months he should be up and running around again,” Pardew is quoted as saying in the Mail.
“I expect him to play again this season. It was a terrible accident. We owe a huge debt to the London Air Ambulance and the surgeons who helped him.
“We are all very supportive of him and we love Pape and we can’t wait to see him back.”
Though it is good to hear that not only can Souare make a full recovery from the accident, but should also have a chance of first team football this season, it leaves Palace somewhat short in that position.
Southampton’s Sadio Mane in action with Crystal Palace’s Pape Souare
Souare has been the club’s first choice left back since moving from Ligue 1 in 2015 , featuring in 41 matches last season and starting the opening three league games of this season.
Regular right backs Martin Kelly and Joel Ward are able to cover on the opposite flank, with the former Liverpool man filling in their against Middlesbrough, and Zeki Fryers is the only other specialised left back in the squad.
Pardew can look at who is available on a free transfer if he wants to bring someone in, other than that he will have to wait until January if he wants to add in that position.
Crystal Palace’s Martin Kelly in action with Manchester United’s Anthony Martial
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